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The
Schedule
FRIDAY,
APRIL 9
Unlike previous
festivals, it's hard to post some sort of summary of the 'era' of the
filmmaker's output, since there's little rhyme or reason to each day's
bill of fare (except that it's strictly chronological). I'll be listing
a lot more of the other actors in these films to provide some of the
context, the cavalcade of unexpected fellow travelers Hackman was working
with at the time.
(Also, because
so many of these vintage film posters are so lovely, I've included larger
versions of them. Just right-click on each film poster next to its respective
description and click on 'open in separate frame' to see the same poster
in greater detail.)
6:00
p.m.
I NEVER SANG FOR
MY FATHER (1970)
Contrary to
the wishes of many Stiff-Leg regulars, we don't get to start with Hackman's
awesome turn in Bonnie & Clyde (that was 1967), but with
this, an adaptation of a play by Robert Anderson, who also wrote the
better-known Tea & Sympathy (later filmed by Vincente Minelli,
father of Liza). Melvyn Douglas stars as the patriarch of the family,
a philanthropic and ambitious man in his youth who has now turned a
bit crotchety. Hackman's character balances the need to escape to Califoria
with his lady friend with taking care of his aging, controlling father.
A rare film, and sure to be a real downer to kick things off.
7:37
p.m.
 DOCTORS'
WIVES (1971)
From IMDB's
summary: The wives of several high-powered doctors feel neglected
due to their husbands' focus on their careers, so they embark on a regimen
of sex, drugs and booze. There's little I can add to that, other
than to list some of the neglected wives and neglecting husbands: Dyan
Cannon, Richard Crenna, Caroll O'Connor, Janice Rule, and Richard Anderson.
I have high hilarious hopes for this film -- the promotional materials
read like it's going to be an AMA-approved version of the appallingly
dated Burt Lancaster film The
Swimmer, one of those films that blasts away at upper-middle-class
mores in a way that now reads like back issues of Esquire (or
even current issues). Also a rare film, not "technically"
available on DVD. Not that you "technically" care.
9:20 p.m.
THE HUNTING PARTY (1971)
The first of
several brutal westerns we'll be watching this weekend, and the first
in a trifecta of films pairing Hackman with Candice Bergen. Also starring
the multi-talented Oliver Reed (whose credits stretch from Lisztomania
to The Big Sleep) as an outlaw who captures Bergan (Hackman's
wife in the film), ostensibly so she can teach him to read. Hackman
plays a bloodthirsty, revenge-driven sadist on a killing spree out to
take back his wife. Compared to Peckinpah by several reviewers. In short,
this is where the festival really gets going.
11:15
p.m.
THE FRENCH CONNECTION
(1971)
I can't imagine
you need much of an intro here -- you've either seen it or have been
meaning to. This movie is the quintessence of '70s cinema: directed
by William Friedkin, possessor of one of the greatest chase scenes ever
preserved on film, and centered on Hackman's immortal role as a tough,
alcoholic jerk with a heart made of shoe leather. You'd be a fool to
miss this. Look at 'Popeye' Doyle in the image below...he's pre-emptively
yelling at you for falling asleep on the couch when you meant to come
over! He knows that this is one of the do-not-miss movies of the entire
festival. When a movie inspires a chicken
franchise, you know you've got to put on that hat and coat and brave
the elements. Starts late; bring No-Doz.
1:05
a.m.
 CISCO
PIKE (1972)
A few of these
descriptions can tell their story just by rattling off the names of
the primary actors. Gene Hackman. Karen Black. Kris Kristofferson. Harry
Dean Stanton. Antonio Fargas. Allan Arbus. Howard Hessman. Even Hugh
"Wavy Gravy" Romney!. A cavalcade of brilliant '70s character
actors in this story of a corrupt cop, a handsome young rockstar (Kristofferson),
and a race to the finish over one high-stress weekend. It's an archetypal
'drug deal gone bad' flick, started at a time in the evening when only
drug dealers (and film fanatics) would be caught awake.
SATURDAY,
APRIL 10
10:00
a.m.
 PRIME
CUT (1972)
Directed by
Michael Ritchie, the subtle satirist who brought you another unheralded
classic of the mid-'70s, Smile. Ritchie later went on to direct
The Bad News Bears, Student Bodies, both Fletch
movies, and The Golden Child, but for now, let's look fondly
upon his nasty little 1972 creation. Prime Cut tells the story
of Mary Ann, played by Hackman as a ruthless gangster patriarch in Kansas
City, running drugs in the back and women in the front. Lee Marvin is
a hired hitman sent to kill him...with a cavalry rifle. Sissy Spacek
makes her acting debut as one of Mary Ann's girls. She's about, oh,
jailbaitteen at the time of filming. Showing Ritchie's wide-ranging
talents as a director, Prime Cut is about as far from Smile
as Taxi Driver is from Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore, and
yes, that means I think Ritchie deserves to be listed among the best
of the '70s directors. This film is Exhibit A. I know it's early (especially
if you stayed for Cisco Pike the night before), but I also know
you've got it in you. A little too much coffee will put you in the right
mood for this.
11:35
a.m.
THE POSEIDON ADVENTURE (1972)
Unless you
were awesome enough to see this in the theater, I'm guessing you've
seen this movie the way I always end up seeing it: hungover (or bored)
on a Sunday afternoon, randomly showing on some station that doesn't
usually show movies in the afternoon. If you're like me, you follow
it along to its bitter end every time. Along with The Towering Inferno
and Airport!, The Poseidon Adventure is the third in the
holy trinity of that most '70s of genres, the disaster flick. Like many
of these wide-screen spectacles, it trots out actors and actresses from
every generation of Hollywood (Shelley Winters, Ernest Borgnine, Red
Buttons, Barbara Lynley, Stella Stevens, Roddy McDowell, Pamela Sue
Martin), assuming that most filmgoers will want to see this on the strength
of at least one or two of the 20 names listed on the poster. Like Gilligan's
Island at 1000 times the scale and no island, a happy little cruise
ship turns into and underwater jail (it flips after a huge wave hits
it, hence the tagline, "Hell, Upside Down") that can
only be thrown open with the guts and determination of...well, a bunch
of the actors I mentioned above.The artistic merits of disaster films
can always be debated, but the actual moment-by-moment film thrill quotient
is good enough for me. (Upcoming Stiff-Legged Film Fest theme: "Disasters
& Dystopias." For real.)
1:40
p.m.
SCARECROW (1973)
It wouldn't
be a festival of '70s movies without at least one "buddy"
picture. After the huge success of Easy Rider, Hollywood gave
a free pass to films about two gents making their way across America
for a few years. This is a surprising pairing, one you might not have
heard about before -- Gene Hackman and Al Pacino. I know, right? And
it was directed by Jerry Schatzberg (The Panic In Needle Park,
Street Smart) and shot by Vilmos Zsigmond (McCabe & Mrs.
Miller, The Long Goodbye, The Deer Hunter, Close
Encounters).
From
IMDB user 'monterfamily': I saw this film many years ago. It
has that early 1970's charm and feel that we almost never see anymore.
Hackman (Max) an ex-con on the rebound and Pacino (Lionel) a drifting
ex-sailor meet randomly while hitchhiking. They spark an unlikely friendship
and venture on a road trip. Max plans on owning his own carwash and
chooses Lionel for his partner in business. This is a story of two losers
with modest dreams. They may not be the winners of society, but they
will definitely win your heart. Max is a mean and tough creep while
Lionel is a lovable rogue. The ending is shockingly sad and all too
real. With effective symbolic panning of the fountain's cherubs and
the haunting background score make for an unforgettable experience.
Pacino and Hackman deliver remarkable performances. This is more of
a guy film in that I don't think it's any woman's cup of tea [debateable!
- ed.]. But if you want to catch a glimpse of great natural
acting and a taste of 70's melodrama, Scarecrow is worth every minute.
3:35
p.m.
 THE
CONVERSATION (1974)
COPPOLA'S BEST
FILM? Maybe? The Godfather I and II give it a hell of a run,
but this flattens any other contenders, even Apocalypse Now.
I fully stand behind that seemingly heretical claim, and when you see
Hackman duke it out with his own sense of moral obligation and the ever-encroaching
bugaboos in his walls, you'll see what I mean. The Conversation
is a cinematic punch in the chest. It's so good, it will shut you down.
You'll pace and smoke (take it out on the porch, please) and blurt out
"fuck!" and think about it for days and weeks after. It's
about surveillance as an abstract idea, but also about the day-to-day
work involved in being a surveillance man, that endless quest to, as
Hackman's character Harry Caul says, "get a nice, fat recording."
The sound design (by Walter Murch) is so stunning, so ahead of its time,
it gets its own commentary track on the DVD. Features Harrison Ford
in his jerkiest jerk role ever, Frederick Forrest ("Don't get outta
the boat, man!") and Cindy Williams (Shirley of Laverne & ___)
as the sympathetic couple/targets, and Allan Garfield as one of Caul's
most awesomely slimy competitors. And how could I forget John Cazale!
John Cazale makes everything better. In short, this movie is so awesome,
it inspired one of the best movie posters in all of life, courtesy the
brilliant poster-interpreters of Poland (see below). If you don't see
this movie here becuase of plans or something, I won't hold it against
you, but if you miss out on this movie before heading to the pearly
gates, you better hope the sweet hereafter has Netflix, or they may
make you come back to finish one last thing....
5:35
p.m.
ZANDY'S BRIDE (1974)
 Y'all
like Westerns? Y'all like Westerns that star Gene Hackman, and, er,
Liv Ullman? Stay with me here. Hackman plays Zandy Allen, a wild west
man who purchases a mail-order bride. And guess who comes to him in
the big wooden crate, packed in styrofoam peanuts? That's right, one
of Ingmar Bergmann's most oft-used actresses travels to Californy in
the mid-19th century to, as one piece of copy states, be treated "like
a possession, without respect or humanity." Sounds like a bucket
of laffs! Special bonus points for my friend Mike
McBeardo: special guest star Susan Tyrell (Forbidden Zone)!
7:40
p.m.
YOUNG FRANKENSTEIN
(1974)
After that
last downer, the timing on this one is perfect. We've watched mail-order
brides, high-tech paranoia, dusty-trail epiphanies, upside down cruise
ships, and gangsters being ground into sausage. Pretty good day so far!
Now, it's time to laugh again. And laugh we will! You've probably seen
this one before, and I can't imagine you need me to explain a Mel Brooks
movie to you, but you might be confused about its place in this festival.
Hackman's not in this movie, is he? Oh, but he is! Allow me to
demonstrate with a few simple jpegs:
Remember when
we meet this guy:
And he's this
well-intentioned blind monk who takes the monster in? And he tries to
help him, but, y'know, he's blind, and the monster can't say anything
to help? Then he does THIS:
Ow ow ow! Awesome.
And yes, I know this is like four minutes of screen time, but I'm including
it because 1) we need a laugh at this point (look at that lineup again!),
and 2) Hackman considered this a crucial role at the time. He didn't
take the role as a walk-on for a little extra pocket money...au contraire,
clucking hen...he was such a fan of Brooks' work that he took this role
for no money! (And improvised most of the dialogue on the spot, including
the cappucino quip at the end.) We're following Hackman down every chute
and spigot he managed to wedge himself into, and if that means seeing
a movie you've seen (and probably already like/love) again, well, what's
the harm? It's post-dinnertime, and you could use some quality digestion
time. Especially before...
9:30
p.m.
THE FRENCH CONNECTION
II (1975)
Back to the
teeth-gritting again! That's right, Doyle is back, and this time, the
French Connection is really French! Different director this time, too
(John Frankenheimer), so a different style, different focus, more drug
addiction, still the same old cranky-ass Doyle, though. Most people
agree that this isn't as good as the first, but how many times have
the opinions of "most people" led you into stupid-ass movies
that you hated and led you away from movies you later found out you
loved? Don't listen to those people! This might be awesome. As proof,
I offer you the copy from the poster to the left...it's probably better
than whatever brain-loogie I'd be trying to cough up in its place:
What happens
when you're a N.Y. cop
sent to France to bust
a dope ring and...
- You can't speak French
- The French cops hate
you
- Your own people have
set you up?
A: 
Damn right.
11:35
p.m.
NIGHT MOVES (1975)
Another "Man
searches for missing ______, finds out terrible things about himself"-type
picture in the style of Chinatown, The Conversation, etc.
Directed by Arthur Penn, another underrated director who did his best
work in this decade. Hackman's Harry Moseby stands proudly next to Harry
Caul, 'Popeye' Doyle, and "that guy from Crimson Tide who
did that one thing" (I'm running out of material here, folks) as
indelible creations, and like Michael Ritchie above, Penn (who also
directed Bonnie & Clyde) is due for a re-evaluation. Starts
late at night...get it? Night Moves!! It's at night! I....ah hell, see
it or don't, what do I care? It's good, though.
SUNDAY,
APRIL 11
10:00
a.m.
BITE THE BULLET
(1975)
You're not seeing
double. It's another western with Hackman and Candice Bergen (and James
Coburn and Sally Kirkland and Dabney Coleman and Jan-Michael Vincent),
but unlike The Hunting Party, it's not wall-to-wall violence
this time, but wall-to-wall horses. That's right, horses! Bite the
Bullet follows the frolics and agonies of an epic 700 mile horse
race, with Hackman playing Sam Clayton, a sensitive lover of horses
who gets pushed too far a few too many times. Every character has a
story and a reason for entering the race, making the synopsis of this
feel like an 1890s version of Death Race 2000 with horses instead
of horseless carriages. Hardly gentle, but since this is the first of
the morning, it's good that it's not overly jarring, either.
12:20
p.m.
 LUCKY
LADY (1975)
I think a nice
long book needs to be written on what the 1970s' fascination with the
1930s was. Here's a screwball comedy set in Prohibition times, with
the unlikely triad of Gene Hackman, Liza Minelli and Burt Reynolds sharing
the lead roles -- and one bed! -- as a triad of rum-runners who cross
the wrong people. Called "The Ishtar of its time" by one reviewer,
it's a mix of slapstick and graphic violence, which is a style that
is hardly out of the ordinary these days, but didn't gel with fans back
then. It may not be good, but it certainly is rare and most definitely
not available in any stores right now.
2:20
p.m.
THE DOMINO PRINCIPLE
AGAIN with the
Hackman/Bergan pairing! This time, they get their help from Mickey Rooney,
Ricahrd Widmark, and Eli Wallach. Directed by Stanley Kramer (On
the Beach, Guess Who's Coming To Dinner?, Inherit the
Wind, Judgement at Nuremburg, It's A Mad Mad Mad Mad World)
near the end of his career, the tagline mirrors what would later become
the X-Files' slogan: "Trust No One. No One." This time,
it's not a western, but a modern conspiracy movie with Hackman as a
returning Vietnam veteran serving time for murder. One day, he receives
a visit from a man in a suit, offering to let him walk right out that
door in exhange for one hit, no questions asked. For fans of The
Parallax View, 3 Days of the Condor, the Warren Report, etc.
4:05
p.m.
A BRIDGE TOO FAR
All you need
to know about this film you can discern from the 5 x 3 block below,
specifically the cast list to its right side. This is the epitome of
the star-studded, interminably long, impeccably shot war movie. This
one specifically deals with Operation Market Garden, an all-chips-on-red
longshot made by the Allies near the end of WWII to secure three bridges
in Holland needed to march over the Rhine and into Germany. If you're
reading start times, you'll notice that this is one extremely long film,
so consider yourself duly warned: I cannot guarantee your safety, nor
even your entertainment! I provide the film; it's up to you to build
a bridge to it. No, I don't regret that pun. Much.
7:05
p.m.
MARCH
OR DIE
Yet another
example of that most-overdone '70s film genre: the French Foreign Legion
film. (cough)
9:00
p.m.
SUPERMAN: THE MOVIE
Hooray! You
faced the Foreign Legion, the Great War, the patsy, the long arm of
John Law, and a whole herd of wild horses, but you were not dragged
away. Now, you get your reward...the Man of Steel, come to liberate
you from the forces of morally ambiguous, deep-focus, borderline nihilistic
cinema and usher you into a new era of clear-cut heroes and villans,
easy spectacle, John Fucking Williams, and THX sound (it's not just
for 1138 anymore). As we exit the Asshole of the Beast, please keep
your arms and legs inside the vehicle at all times, and consider sticking
around for a few beers and hearty pats on the backs for all your awesome
viewing stamina. Beacuse...
Congratulations!
You made it!
Now
go home!
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